


Regained my Hope in the Cradle of Life

by AswedishTent



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Betrayal, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-01-24
Packaged: 2017-11-26 06:07:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/647403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AswedishTent/pseuds/AswedishTent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Hawaii five-0 and Tomb Raider: the Cradle of Life fusion</p><p>When the CIA comes to Tomb Raider Lord Daniel Williams with the request of regaining the orb stolen from the Lunar Temple he knows that the only one that could help him is, traitor and ex-Navy SEAL, Steven J. McGarrett.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kisses and Question

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Guys! This is my first Fic here, soooo I'm kinda nervous but whatever xP 
> 
> so this is a fusion between H 5-0 and Tomb raider. I sat and saw the movie like a year ago or something and i couldn't help but think... what if Steve was Terry and Danny was Laura... and then my head just start spinning with scenes xP well... i actually thought what if Danny was Terry and Steve was Laura too, but this is what me and my muses decided on xD
> 
> Anyho Hope you all enjoy the fic :)

Danny stood facing the hull of the ship in the small quarters they had been given. His clothes were filthy so he had been given a piece of cloth which he had wrapped around his hips, showing of his chest and abs. A hand was laid on his shoulder and he quickly took it and twisted the arm forcing the body it belonged to, too its knees. When he looked down upon the man he saw that Steve only had his pants on also showing of his lean chest and hard abs.

“You can break my hand, but I’m still gonna kiss you” Steve whispered. He was smiling that cocky smile of his, knowing he was charming and knowing that Danny loved that smile a little more than he cared to admit.

Danny lowered himself to his knees, letting go of Steve’s hand at the same time. Their lips locked and Steve pushed him to the floor so Danny laid on his back. Danny’s hand came to rest on the ex-SEAL’s neck and the other traveled slowly down his chest. Their bodies rocked together in a soundless beat which no one could hear. Danny was trapped between the floor and Steve’s hard body, Steve’s knees where positioned over his hips and his elbows held up his body so that the blond male wouldn’t be squashed. Their kissing became more erratic as their need for each other increased. 

Danny hooked a leg over one of the bigger mans, and one of his arms overlapped his lover’s and then rolled them over so that he was on top. His eyes glinted in mischief as he sat upon Steve’s thighs. The cloth he wore had crawled up on his thighs, barely covering him up. He bent down to kiss the dark haired man again. As he traveled down the lean body he held the beautiful man down by the neck. He listened to the sharp intakes of breath as he blindly looked for the object he was looking for in his bagpack. 

He quickly jumped of the other male as he chained him by the bed with the help of a pair of handcuffs. Steve looked confused as he glanced between the cuffs and Danny, whom sat crouched at the other side of the room, well out of his reach.

“Not exactly what I had in mind, but okay” joked Steve. He looked at Danny with a frown and a pair of questioning eyes.

“I will tell the CIA that you have held your end of the bargain and you will receive your new life when they pick you up” said Danny with a passive face. Steve scuffed as he lay on the floor, supported by his free arm.

“Just like that huh? What are you running from Danny?” The ex-SEAL asked with an accusing tone. “Why aren’t you letting me come with you? Why are you turning away from this?”

“I’m not running away from anything! I’m turning away now and making sure you won’t make the wrong decision!” told Danny.

“Are you afraid you won’t have it in you to stop me, D?” threw Steve back.

“It’s because I do!” snared lord Williams. He was afraid that if he took Steve with him, Steve would take one glimpse at the reason of the mission and turn away from him, and then Danny would be left to stop him.

“And what if I make the right one?” Steve asked.

“Why did you turn away from your country then? From your SEAL-team?” asked Danny, He slowly rose up, keeping his eyes on the man cuffed to the bed.

“I had to Danny, I thought you knew that!” tried Steve as he watched the lord with pleading eyes. “I had no other choice”

Danny scuffed. He still couldn’t believe this, after all these years he still thought he could fool him.

“When I made my choice I did it so that you would be safe, I did it so all the people I care for would be safe.” explained Steve desperately. He needed Danny to understand. “Leaving the navy, the SEAL’s was hard, leaving my country was harder, but leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do!”

“Then why, Steven, why did you leave, can’t you just tell me that?” Danny demanded. He started to wave his arms as he got more aggravated. He just wanted to punch the stupid man in front of him. 

“No, I’m sorry but I can’t.” said the ex-navy man.

Danny’s stare turned thunderous. He quickly grabbed his bag-pack and put his dirty clothes on in a hurry.

“Then I’m sorry aswell, I have to go, you know… a world to save, artifacts to discover, history to unravel.” He looked murderous at Steve, but hidden behind the anger was sadness and longing. 

“Wait Danny, please wait” called Steve trying to stop the man from leaving him, but Danny was already outside the door.

“I don’t want a new life, I want to be with you and if you won’t let me, I’ll just follow you so that I’ll know that you are safe.” Steve whispered not knowing Danny stood hidden just behind the door, trying to force himself away from the man who left him all those years ago.


	2. Explanations of Beginnings

Danny had called Toast and Chin back home and sent them the rest of the footage of the orb he and… the ex-SEAL, had reclaimed. Toast had seemed a little apprehensive, but well when wasn’t he? They had figured out the key for the orb and when a sound track was played, it had showed him the location of the cradle of life, Africa. After given a few instructions for his friends he went for the nearest airport and boarded a privet plane, sent by Chin. 

Now he sat in the plane in silence. He couldn’t stop thinking of… of Steve. 

The stupid, reckless **ex** -Super-SEAL just wouldn’t leave his mind alone! He remembered the time that they had spent together all those years ago, before Rachel and Grace, before the incident with the illuminati and the revenge of Meka and most importantly before Steve had made that treacherous choice, which stripped him of his title, disowned him from the navy and put him in jail, when they finally found him that is.

He still didn’t understand his reasons of running from the navy to join the Shay-Lin. Steve had lived to become a navy-SEAL, to gain respect and acceptance from his family and to protect his country. He had just passed the test in becoming a SEAL and he had been so proud. 

When the CIA had come to him and demanded his help in finding Pandora’s Box by reclaiming the orb from the Shay-Lin who stole it, he knew right away that the only way was to force Steve to get him there. He cursed his luck in his head but kept a cool appearance to the two agents. He knew he hadn’t fooled Chin, because his face turned into that mask of complete Zen. 

He had almost immediately taken back his condition when he uttered it.

_“I don’t need your agents, I need Steve McGarrett.”_

The agents had cursed and at first they refused his condition. They claimed that their agents would be a much better assistance for this kind of mission, but Danny knew, they just didn’t want a traitor out of jail since they had spent too many years catching him. However there just wasn’t any other way, the only one outside of the Shay-Lin who could help him locate them, was McGarrett. His own feelings couldn’t stand in the way, this was about the world… kind of.

When they had accepted Danny’s condition he had flown to the top security prison in the north where they held him he began to question his resolve, he wondered what Steve would say, but he also wondered if he would be able to keep the ex-super-SEAL in check. 

Would he be able to keep his own emotions in check…?

_When he had entered the cell Steve was doing push-ups,_ without a shirt,upside down from the roof. _Come on! Did he always need to be extreme?_

_“Williams.” Huh, they were back to last-name bases, that had hurt a bit but he had ignored it._

_“McGarrett.” He snared back._

_“Welcome to my new room, it isn’t exactly Williams manor…” Steve trailed of as he put on a shirt. He had still looked good, a little more scars as Danny could see, but prison life hadn’t weaned him down. “Why are you here, so far away from your beloved Jersey?”_

_He had showed him the key which he had hidden in his hand._

_“What’s that? The key to your heart?” joked Steve_

_“No you idiot, you blew that loooong ago, this is a key to a nice apartment in Bern, Switzerland, nice view right next to a big lake with loads of water were you can splash around like the secret mermaid you actually are, if you don’t like it you can choose almost any other location you wish. You will also be given a new identity, you can choose that one too, I tried to get them to give you Kal-El or Namor. They didn’t think it was funny.” Danny ranted._

_Steve had smiled slightly “Who’s Namor?”_

_“You know! The ruler of Atlantis, Sub-Mariner from the Marvel universe? Super Hero?” said Danny in a disbelieving voice._

_“And who would provide me with this new identity?”_

_“CIA”_

_Steve had scuffed, he clearly hadn’t like that idea._

_“Look, you either take the deal, gain a new life with a new identity and a new place, a fresh start, a second chance call it whatever the hell you want or you could always stay here in this nice and cozy little room, without reasonable food, no hygiene and no freedom, far, far away from your precious ocean.” He had countered._

_“What would I need to do to gain this freedom” asked Steve suspiciously._

_“Get me to the Shay-Lin… “Danny started but Steve had said no as quickly as he heard the Shay-Lin but Danny hadn’t stopped talking for something as petty as a no “… and get me out”_

_“You really think you could just sneak in to the Shay-Lin and then expect to get out alive!?” he had frowned._

_Danny had chuckled and answered “Well, you did, didn’t you. You left the navy, joined the Shay-Lin and then you left them aswell… isn’t that right, McGarrett?”_

_He hadn’t even been decent enough to look guilty._

_“No!”_

_“Fine, then I’ll just go there myself. I was planning on a nice little trip to China, see the wall, eat some duck, sneak into the Shay-Lin lair… as for travelling companions the CIA has offered me their very best…”_

_“No, wait…” Steve had interrupted him, how dared he? “Fine I will take you to the Shay-Lin, but we work alone, no CIA only you and me!”_

_“Fine, but it will be on my terms, you will have no weapons whatsoever, every decision will go through me, I will arrange equipment, your only job is to get me in and out and if you try to run or jeopardize this mission or whatever, I have permission to take you down anyhow, anytime, anywhere. No questions asked.” He threatened with a steely resolve._

He had been so sure that he would be able to handle Steve, handle him being near. Steve had almost looked stricken after his conditions, but as quickly as his expression appeared, it disappeared. They had gotten Steve out of there and in new clothes. Just a day after they had used one of Danny’s connections and got to use an untraceable   
shuttle to jet them down into the country. After landing they had met up with one of Danny’s old friends in China and equipped themselves. 

Steve had let them up the Chinese wall, with motorbikes, to a place where the mountains were starting. They had dumped their vehicles and started a small climb. As promised Steve had let them right to the Shay-Lin, but they got captured, which was the only way to get to the group according to Steve. _Well, Fuck Him._

Danny had been able to negotiate with the leader of the Shay-Lin, a weird looking fellow named Sang Min. That was quite funny, you know, Shay-Lin Sang Min… well it was funny to Danny, Sang Min didn’t like it so much.

They had been able to escape, when Steve made some ninja-move and shot like half of the guards (with their own guns) and Danny whooped Sang Min’s ugly butt. But they hadn’t obtained the orb because one of Sang Min’s minions had traveled to Shang-Hai (again… what was it with these names? Sang Shay Shang?) to trade the orb with money from the buyer. 

They had caught up with the minion but hadn’t been able to obtain the orb yet, but Danny managed to put a tracker on the box, and they followed it to a skyscraper in the middle of the city. They had stormed the place after some small planning, from Danny of course since Steve always wants to rush in guns blazing… 

The escape led them to the situation on the boat. Danny had thought that Steve had regretted his decision to leave him all those years ago. He could still read the man like a book and it was like a big fat tragedy. Steve looked hurt and sad when he looked at Danny, but also fond, nostalgic and hopelessly hopeful. It had hurt to leave Steve but not as much as being left by the man. Steve’s part of the mission was over and Danny was glad over that. _Liar!_

“Lord Williams we are nearing Africa!” The co-pilot told Danny.

“Thanks, guess I’ll need to change then” said Danny with a smile, a tight fake smile.


	3. Stand-off and Solution

Danny couldn’t believe it. That fucking Wo Fat! He had kidnapped his friends and threatened them into helping him, sent him all the information he needed to find the cradle of life and Pandora’s box, then he had followed him. Danny himself had been stupid. Stupid, Stupid, STUPID! How had he not seen this coming? _Come on!_ The only thing that could’ve screamed trap more was a cardboard box with a stick holding it open and a string attached to the stick!

When he had gotten to Africa and met up with Kono. She was an old friend who had lived her whole life all over the world, and now she was in Africa and knew everything there is to know about her the continent. She knew the different tribes, the different languages and she was also pretty good at ass-kicking as well.

They had, together with a couple of warriors from a tribe created to protect the cradle of life, followed the instructions given from the orb and been attacked by Wo Fat’s men.  
They had been effortlessly defeated since the warriors only had weak shields and spears to defend with, while Wo Fat’s men had guns and even heavier artillery. 

Wo Fat had brought Chin and Toast with them too use as leverage against him, and now they had Kono aswell. He guessed he was lucky that Grace didn’t live with him whenever his job called.

“Now, lord Williams show me the way to Pandora’s box.” Said Wo Fat calmly. Danny wanted sooo badly to punch the guy in his face and wipe that smug smirk right of. 

“Only if you let Chin, Toast and Kono go.” Countered Danny. He would not be responsible for his friends’ deaths. 

“I will leave a squad back here with the charming hacker, but your butler and lady friend will come with us.” the evil man told.

“Like Hell!” 

“Danny, it’s no big deal. It’s just a little walk.” Chin rationed. He looked calm, if you didn’t knew him he looked as if it was just as he said, a small stroll in the park, but Danny knew better. He could see that Chin was pissed for the threat against his family.

“Fine, but if you harm any of them in any way I will kill you! I swear to God, I will kill you!” Danny swore. 

They began walking up the small mountain which climbed up from the red sand. A small path lead them up the small mountain and they soon entered a valley, but the valley was filled with dark shadows and dreadful stone-trees. The place was silent and no wind, no sunshine, not a thing could penetrate the veil of darkness that covered the valley. Shills ran through the humans that had entered, it didn’t matter if they were soldiers or explorers, all quivered in fear of what was about to happen, and no one knew what was going to happen. 

Suddenly screams of terror and pain filled the small valley and a soldier disappeared. Gun shots ran through the darkness hitting stone walls and dead trees. Dark creatures appeared from the darkness and caught the soldiers dragging them into the stone walls and swallowing them in darkness. 

“Everybody STOP!” Called Wo Fat out. “Show me the way, Williams.” 

Danny only stared at him.

“Well, you were the one who thought a walk was nice…” started Wo Fat, pointing his gun at Chin’s direction. “… so start walking” he moved his gun in a ‘go on’ fashion.

Chin began to walk slowly and carefully forward on the path. The creatures growled restlessly as the man moved.

“Okay, stop!” Danny called out in frustration. He looked around the valley after clues. Wo Fat’s men had reduced alarmingly _(YES!)_ , but his friends were both still alive, for now. He stared out, desperately searching clues and then it suddenly hit him! Of course! “Give me the orb.” 

“Why?” Demanded Wo Fat.

“Look jack-ass, the creatures of darkness, they don’t have any eyes, ergo they see with sound and movement. I need to take the orb and put it in that hollowed tree over there. Then the opening will, well, open since that is what openings do. Hopefully the creatures won’t follow us there.” 

“Very good, Williams” Wo Fat took out the orb, but he appeared to have no intentions to give it to Danny, so Danny rushed him, grabbed the orb and ran to the opening. The creatures growled and started chasing him and Wo Fat, which was chasing him. Danny threw in the orb and the opening opened up until there was a big gap that he and Wo Fat fell down into.

He landed hard on the rock solid ground, Wo Fat had gotten up quicker and was now pointing that damned gun at him.

“Well, you’re doing a good job so far, let’s keep it up.” 

They were walking slowly in this weird cavern, it was a cave with stone pillars formed by nature reaching here and there, no actual pattern to disclose their search for the box. This was the cradle of life. Reality was twisted here. You could walk up the walls and stand on the roof of the cave. There were no gravity here, and time was a concept very foreign for this place.

“Ah, there it is.” Said Wo Fat, staring down a ledge. His sharp gaze was pointed towards a puddle of black liquid and in the middle laid a golden box. 

“It is said that when Pandora opened the box and let the horrors of the world free she cried a thousand tears of black acid.” Gloated Wo Fat as he forced Danny to walk down to the puddle. “Well tradition says that a woman first found it, but I’ve never been fond of tradition, why don’t you grab it.”

He pushed Danny down towards the puddle and grabbed his hand to keep in from falling into the acid. 

“I can’t possibly reach it, it’s too far away” Complained the tomb raider. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly the tallest person in the world.” 

Wo Fat pulled him slightly up, grabbed Danny’s shirt and tore it, using it as an extender. Danny reached for the box but just as his hand touched it he swung himself against the thug and punched him. He ran behind a couple of pillars as Wo Fat fired a few rounds at him. 

He hide behind the pillars and crawled on the ceiling to evade the other man. He finally got behind Wo Fat and attacked him. Danny wouldn’t call himself a bad fighter, he was pretty good actually, he got in a few good punches but Wo Fat was trained in martial arts. After a particular hard kick in his abdomen Danny slammed into the wall. Wo Fat found his gun and fired a shot, straight through Danny’s arm. 

“Well Williams, seems as you are as stubborn as you are talkative.” Smirked Wo Fat as Danny gripped his arm and glared heatedly at the thug, clearly in pain.

A noise was suddenly heard behind Wo Fat and he grabbed Danny hard and pushed him infront of him, as a human shield. He pushed his gun against Danny’s temple. 

Danny opened his eyes, since he had shut them in pain, and didn’t believe his eyes. Steve stood there, an AK-47 rested in his arms pointed directly at them. His eyes were steely with a controlled anger. He was dressed the same as when Danny had last seen him. 

“I don’t think so Wo Fat.” Steve snared. “Let him go”

“Steve McGarrett, our roads just keeps on crossing.” Chuckled Wo Fat. Did they know each other?

“Shut up and let him go or you will not make it out of here alive.” 

“I’m sorry, but how do I know you won’t just shoot me when I let him go?”

Steve tightened his grip on his gun. 

“That’s what I thought, it all comes down to what you want more Steve, as always, your blind search for the revenge of your parents or him, the only person whom you ever cared about.” Wo Fat smirked evilly.

“Okay, I don’t give a rat’s ass what either of you are saying, but you my friend are going to die, right here, in this god forsaken place if you don’t let me go right now!” yelled the blond. He tried to loosen the other man’s grip, but in vain. 

“Hmmh, I’m sorry Williams, I have neglected you, but you see your _friend_ here has been chasing me for a very long time” chuckled Wo Fat while staring straight into Steve’s eyes. “ even without any real proof he still believes that I killed his parents.”

Okay, so this is what Danny got. Steve’s parents had been murdered. Steve had told him they died in a car crash, but he guessed he had lied. Steve believed that Wo Fat had killed his parents. Which the super villain denied and finally Steve had chosen to hunt down Wo Fat instead of being with Danny…

“If you’re gonna have this dispute right here right now, I suggest you let me go so that I can make sure that no one opens the box so that the world doesn’t parish in a plague that no one can stop. Then you guys can go back to killing each other for all I care.” Danny suggested.

As an answer Wo Fat pushed the gun harder into Danny’s head and tightened his hand around Danny’s arm, right next to the bullet wound. It fucking hurt but he only let out a small painful sound. 

Even thou the sound was small, Steve had heard it and tightened his gun even further and his eyes turned hard.

“I have proof that you killed my parents, but since I’m classified as a criminal, I can’t turn it in, and even if I did you wouldn’t be brought to a fair trial.” Steve continued. “The jury would be in your pocket and you would escape yet again.”

“So you thought that hunting me down would be a better resolution? “Wo Fat laughed.

“No, but it was my only solution after you targeted me aswell, you discovered that I had started digging in my parents car accident, you thought that I knew more than I should, so you sent a hitman after me”

“Aaah yes, how is Victor?”

“He was rotting away in a jail. Until you killed him to cover up your own tracks. You always were a fucked up thug.”

“Let me guess, you figured since Victor was so close to killing you and your beloved, you thought that you needed to run away from them to ensure their safety? How very noble of you”

Danny couldn’t believe what they were saying, that Steve would be targeted and didn’t tell him, that he chose to run away to, to, to protect him. He should’ve talked to him, told him what was going on! Danny was more than capable to take care of himself, and he could’ve helped him, supported him! _Fuck This!_

“Well if you gentlemen are done talking nonsense and done snarling at each other like a pair of alpha dogs fighting over a bone, can we just stop for a second and find a reasonable solution that no one will be shot at?” Both the men continued staring silently at him, with no intention in lowering their weapons. “No? Okay, guess I have to be the catalyst yet again…”

Danny swiftly drove his elbow into Wo Fat’s stomach then ducked and Steve had a clear shot at the evil man, which he took. The bullets hit him straight in the chest and he stared unbelievably straight forward. He started to fall but in the last minute grabbed a hold of Danny. 

Danny fell aswell but quickly grabbed a hold of the rock and watched as Wo Fat fell into the pool of black acid, and sank with a terrifying scream of anguish. 

His arm throbbed in pain but before he lost his grip he felt two hands grabbing a hold of him and slowly pulling him up. When he was up he was sitting in Steve’s lap pressed against his chest with both of Steve’s arms wrapped tightly around him. He wanted to complain and rage about it, but right now he was too tired, too near an early death, and he felt safe… more safe than he had felt in a very long time.

“Dammit Danny, why do you always get yourself shot?!” Exclaimed Steve as he buried his head in Danny’s hair.

“Well, as I recall it, it usually is your fault!” Mentioned Danny and flinched when Steve hugged a bit too hard. 

Steve quickly loosened his grip and took a look at Danny’s arm, the bullet was a through and through so it was easy enough to clean. He used a first aid kit that he brought with him in his back-pack, he cleaned the wound and tied a bandage around Danny’s arm. 

“You’ll need some stitches when we get back” Informed Steve.

“What? Excuse me? ‘When we get back’? there will be no WE who goes back, I appreciate that you just assisted me with Wo Fat, but after this you and I are done, you will go wherever in the world you believe is fine and I will go back home with Chin and Toast and possible Kono, if she still wants to talk to me after this. There will be absolutely no WE, not you and I or me and you, but me alone and you alone! Capish!?” ranted Danny with his good arm waving around to emphasize his point. 

“Danny, why can’t we just…” started Steve but was immediately cut off by the shorter man.

“NO, no, you do not get to talk right now, okay, you do not have permission to speak! You left me McGarrett, we had something, I thought you were the one, I gave you my heart and you fucking broke it. You left, and we had something, I thought you went on a mission and forgot to tell me about it then some army-shmucks came and asked me were you were, and then the CIA came. I thought it was some sick misunderstanding, I defended your sorry ass, but then I realized that you left me, you left without an explanation.” Danny continued “It took me years to forget about you, but then I met a woman which I fell in love with, someone safe that stayed at home with me, that loved me, we got married and now I have a beautiful baby girl which I adore more than anything, and you have no right to come back and be a part of my life again, you **LEFT!** ”

“You’re married?”

“…Divorced actually, it didn’t work out, because she…she didn’t like my work, it was too dangerous or something, kind of ironic, I know… but soooo beside the point Steven”

“So you’re single now?”

“What the hell! Haven’t you been listening McGarrett? Yes I’m single but you have no right…”

Steve abruptly shut Danny up by holding a hand over his mouth.

“I have been listening, I know that I made a mistake, but I would do it again in a heartbeat, I left to protect you. I discovered that my parents’ accident wasn’t an accident, they were murdered and after I found out too much I was targeted by a hitman named Victor Hesse, I knew that I couldn’t stay with you because they would target you too, and I needed to find out what had happened.”

Danny removed Steve’s hand from his mouth but continued glaring at his ex-lover.

“You should have told me, I could’ve helped Steve, I am NOT some frail maiden in distress that you need to protect, I can take care of myself!” told Danny, he truly didn’t understand why Steve neglected to tell him. “I would’ve helped you find out the truth.”

“I know D, but I couldn’t risk you, you’re the only one that I ever cared about, you are too precious to me, I only had you and your family,my parents are dead, I barely know my sister… I needed you to be alive, to be safe.”

Danny abruptly stood up and walked away from Steve, he couldn’t handle this right now, he walked down to the puddle of acid and looked long and hard at the box.

“Danny…”

“No Steve, not now, can we at least finish this mission or whatever…” Danny used Steve’s discarded AK-47 to pull the box closer to him, when it was in reach he slowly picked it up. 

“Are you going to open it?” Steve asked who had placed himself right next to Danny.

“Something’s aren’t meant to be found” Proclaimed Danny while he slowly sank to his knees infront of the pool and put it down, letting the acid slowly swallow it, a small light shined from the box and then… it was gone.

Danny sighed heavily and put his arms around himself, careful about his arm. Steve looked concerned at him.

“I’m tired okay, and a bit cold, it’s nothing, stop it with the brutal stares at the back of my head. I don’t usually strip anywhere I can, and this wife-beater doesn’t cover much… so just stop with your worrying.” Danny said tiredly.

“I’m sorry Danny, for everything.” Apologized Steve while he silently enclosed Danny in an embrace, he pushed Danny’s back against his chest and took a hold of his arms.

“Why is it that even thou it has been so much time I still feel safe within your arms?” Whispered Danny silently, he was shaking silently, not knowing what to do, if he should take him back?

Grace lithered into his mind then, would she except Steve? He wouldn’t survive if his daughter rejected him and if she didn’t like Steve and he had to choose between them, he knew that he would always choose Grace. No matter what. So that would just result in another heartbreak. Was he just looking for a reason not to take a chance on Steve? He was being selfish.

Danny slowly turned in Steve’s embrace and stared up into his eyes.

“I’m sorry Steve, but I have to think about my daughter first, I don’t know how she would react to you, and my divorce is still pretty recent, I don’t want to spring another adult into her life right now, I’m sorry” said Danny sadly. 

“So is your daughter the only reason…?” Steve looked almost crushed.

“It just… it’s too soon after my divorce and I don’t know if I can take a third heartbreak Steve, third time’s the charm” whispered Danny, he could no longer look into Steve’s hazel eyes.

“I won’t break your heart D, I won’t just let you go” Steve pressed desperately on.

“I’m sorry Steve, but no, let’s just get out of here.”

Danny forced himself out of Steve’s arms and headed slowly back to the exit, he felt Steve walk behind him silently supported him when needed. 

When they came out of the hole they were greeted by the worried faces of Chin, Toast and Kono. The tribe that had been created to protect the cradle of life had been there and Danny had reassured them that the box was safe, that something’s aren’t meant to be found. 

They had taken the helicopter that Wo Fat came in, to get them back to civilization. After Danny had been brought to a hospital and been checked out he thought of saying his final goodbye to Steve, but the man was already gone.

He returned to Williams manor back in New Jersey and was greeted by his smiling daughter. He hugged her close and breathed in her sweetness, he knew that he would do anything for her.

Danny, Chin, Toast, Grace and Kono who had followed them home to have a little ‘vacation’ all sat by the large fireplace in the manor and shared small stories and ate biscuits and drank coffee, except Grace who got warm chocolate.

Danny stared wistfully into the fire and imagined a handsome ex-navy-SEAL’s face within the flames, but was soon interrupted by Grace questioning face. He reassured her that nothing was wrong, but the others knew better. He had sacrificed his own happiness again, all for his daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Terry actually dies in the movie, but i just couldn't kill Steve okay T.T  
> and don't worry there will be a happy ending... hopefully o.o


	4. Fighting for ones Love

“Danno can’t we go out somewhere today?” asked Grace sweetly.

“Where do you wanna go monkey?” Danny asked his daughter, she was smiling sweetly up at him from where she sat on the floor infront of the couch in the saloon. She was playing with her new dolls dolphin trainer Annie.

“Just out, can’t we go riding? Ooooh please, please, please Danno” whined Grace, her puppy-eyes-of-doom were targeted straight at him.

“Okay, okay, fine, but you have to saddle Skipper by yourself with either Chin or me beside you. “ started Danny “ and we can’t be out for too long, we will have to eat at some point”

“Or we can just bring some food with us” offered Grace wisely, she was now on her knees with her elbows resting on the couch, her smile turned mischievously.

“You’ve been planning this haven’t you?” laughed Danny. He smiled down at her daughter with a bit of pride in his eyes. “Fine, but you have to ask Chin first.”

“Yaaaaay thanks Danno.” Grace screamed in happiness.

A knock was heard on the door and Chin silently entered.

“Sorry to interrupt but you have a visitor.” Chin started and looked as stone-faced as ever.

“A visitor…who?” asked Danny.

“He claims to be the new neighbor.” 

Okaay, that was highly unlikely, since the Williams Manor was situated in the far outskirts of Newark, there was nothing but trees for the nearest mile, at least. 

Danny walked to the front door and stopped. A tall, dark haired man stood in the doorway. A very familiar man. 

“Hi Danny…”

Steve… Steve was here, right outside of his house… presenting himself as his neighbor… _What The Fuck!?_

“I just moved into an apartment in the outskirts of the city and thought I should say hi to my new neighbor” Steve stood smugly, leaning against the doorframe. 

Danny stood almost completely speechless and could only stare at the man he thought he lost forever.

“Danno, are you coming, I wanna go now?” Grace said when she came behind her father, when she saw Steve she quickly hid behind her daddy’s legs and looked shyly at him.

“Hello, you must be Gracie.” Said Steve as he crouched down to her level and smiled his friendliest smile he had. He slowly put out his hand intended for a handshake. “My name is Steve, I’m an old friend of your daddy’s”

“Hello Steve, nice meeting you” whispered Grace as she took Steve’s hand and shoke it. 

“Your daddy talked about you last time we saw each other, he is very proud of you.” Steve continued. Graces eyes started to sparkle and she took a quick glance at her father and looked at Steve for a couple of seconds.

“You’re really an old friend of Danno?”

“Yeah I am”

“Do you know how to ride a horse?” asked Grace sweetly , Steve looked a little surprised at the question.

“Yeah I know how to ride, why do you ask?” answered Steve truthfully.

“You wanna go riding with me and Danno for a picnic with the horses?” Gracie asked innocently. Danny coughed at the question and looked surprised at his daughter.

“Grace I’m sure that Steve has …”Started Danny but Steve cut him off.

“I would love to come with you and your dad.”

“Then I’ll go tell uncle Chin to bring more food” Grace said as she ran off towards the kitchen. This left Steve and Danny all by themselves. Steve stood up and looked at Danny’s surprised gaze. 

“What the hell Steven, you can’t just come here after what I told you and somehow plot with my daughter for some sort of play-date.” Danny accused.

“Sorry D, but I meant what I said, I won’t just let you go, not now when I have nothing stopping me” Steve replied smugly.

“Well I have something that’s stopping me McGarrett.” Danny said while pointing his index finger at Steve chest in an accusing way.

“That’s why I want to spend time with your daughter, that’s what’s stopping you isn’t it?” Steve started, he slowly advanced against Danny and was soon up in his personal space. “That’s how you are Danny, you’re always fighting for everyone else, your family, your friends, the world but never yourself, so now I’ll fight for you.”

…

“Uncle Chin, Uncle Chin we need more food!” Yelled Grace as she came rushing into the kitchen. Chin stood and was hacking up some cucumbers to put into the subs he was planning on giving the Williams’ for lunch. 

“Hmh? Why is that young lady?” Chin asked suspiciously while Grace giggled.

“I’ve told you not to call me young lady, Uncle Chin!” Smiled Gracie “and we need more food cuz’ daddy’s friend is going with us.”

Chin looked surprised at the young girl.

“He is the same Steve as the one Daddy and you guys have been talking about right, the one Daddy loved before Mommy?” Grace looked up towards Chin with a look that was a little too intelligent for a child her age. _Well, she is a Williams…_

“Yes, he is **that** Steve, but how did you know that, Gracie?” laughed Chin gently. 

“Cuz’ the way Steve and Danno looked at each other, Danno looked sad but Steve’s eyes were… ehum, what’s the word? “ started Gracie.

“Loving, dearly, fondly…?” 

“Yes, fond, he looked fondly at Danno” giggled Grace.

…

The three of them were soon riding on the Williams estate, which were quite large, Danny might say so himself.

Steve had helped Gracie with her saddle and had helped her up onto it, while the girl had chatted on and on about the horses and their names and how Danno and Chin had taught her all about how to take care of and train the horses. The two of them chatted almost the entire ride out, and Danny could barely contain his smile, as his daughter and the probable love of his life got along so great.

When they had finally sat down from the horses they planted the blanket on the gound and sat on it with their subs and bottles of juice. Grace had insisted that Danno and Steve would sit next to each other which Steve gladly had done. Steve had listened to everything Grace has said and had even explained and talked about something’s himself, much of it exiting and interesting in the ears of a child.

“So you’re an adventurer like Danno?” asked Gracie.

“Yes you could say that, although I’m not sure I would want that many adventures anymore.” Steve answered truthfully between chewing on his sub.

“Why wouldn’t you like to go on more adventures? They sound so fun!” Asked Gracie clearly puzzled.

“Because the last adventures I’ve gone on I’ve gone alone, and I really don’t wanna be alone anymore” answered Steve, he was partly looking at Grace but he also kept and watchful eye at Danny to see his reaction. Danny looked almost dumbfounded, he had said very little since they had ridden out, which was very strange for him.

“But then you can go with Danno, he always meet old and new friends on his adventures, and sometimes he’s also alone. “ Grace turned a little gloomy “Danno need someone to look after him when I’m not there.” 

“Grace…” started Danny but the look on his daughter said that she wasn’t done.

“Daddy, we’re out of juice can you get more for me?” asked Grace sweetly as the puppy-eyes-of-doom started again.

“Alright, you want anything else?” Gracie turned her head in a no. “What about you Steve?”

“No I’m good.” Replied Steve in a smile directed at Danny. When Danny was out of earshot Gracie moved herself closer to Steve. 

“Uncle Steve, do you like Danno?” Gracie asked truthfully.

“Yes, I like him a lot, why do you ask Gracie?” Steve was completely surprised.

“Cuz’ if you don’t then leave him alone, but if you really do like him, you need to fight for him” Explained Grace in a matter-the-fact tone. “Danno need someone to make him happy, I’ve heard stories about you and Uncle Chin said that you really made him happy.”

Steve looked surprised at Grace, this was truly a astonishing young girl. She understood her father more than her father himself. Another fun fact that Steve couldn’t help but acknowledge was that Chin talked about him with Grace, did that mean that Danny also had told Grace about him?

“Whenever I leave to stay with my mommy, Danno looks so sad, and lonely. Even though he has both Uncle Chin and Uncle Toast, Daddy’s missing someone, he never tells me but I know my dad!” Grace said very seriously. “You need to promise me that you will fight for him, and that you won’t break his heart!”

“I promise Gracie, I won’t let Danno be alone anymore, I promise to fight for him, I promise to keep him safe and to make sure that he returns home to you and I promise to never, ever break his heart” Steve swore with his hand above his heart. Grace broke out in a wide grin and lunged herself at Steve, hugging him as close as she could. 

“Thank you!”

……

Danny had watched his daughter launch herself into Steve’s arms and felt a tug at his heart. Grace had always been a perceptive girl, she knew him almost better then himself. She truly was his daughter, because just as himself she cared about others happiness more than her own, she was adamant that her family was happy and it was hard to keep stuff from her. He had noticed when he and her mother had started to argue with each other that she had tried to be as cheerful as possible, trying to be the good girl for both her parents, she had even smiled and told both her parents that everything was going to be alright after the divorce. Danny had seen how much it had affected her, but she remained silent about it. Ever since she had been born Danny put his daughter first, it was always her happiness that mattered most to him, but Grace had told him, if he was happy, she was happy, and how can you really argue with something like that, especially from the mouth of your eight year old daughter?

So now when he watched his daughter hug Steve he wondered if she would be happy to have Steve in her life aswell? Would she consider him a family member, or just Danny’s partner? Would she even start calling him dad? 

Danny couldn’t help but hope so, because if his daughter liked Steve, then he had no reason to keep Steve at arm’s length, maybe Steve could become a permanent part of their family!

“Here ya go Monkey” said Danny as he returned to sit on the picnic blanket, he gave Grace her juice and smiled slightly at Steve. “What were you two now discussing, no schemes I hope?”

“No Danno, we were just talking, not scheming” laughed Grace while looking extremely cute.

“That’s right Danno, we couldn’t be scheming” said Steve innocently.

“Hey, don’t call me Danno, only Grace gets to call me that and what’s with that innocent looking face, you’re not convincing at all babe” ranted Danny pointing vigorously at Steve.

“That’s okay, you can call my dad Danno too” smiled grace sweetly at Steve.

“Well thank you Grace, hey why don’t you go saddle our horses again so that we can ride back to the mansion!?” replied Steve while standing up.

“Okay” Smiled Grace, she quickly finished her juice and ran towards the horses.

“Hey, you can’t just decide that! The polite thing to do is to ask if everyone is ready to go back!” Danny tried to argue.

“Grace asked me if I liked you…” Steve started. “If I didn’t she told me to leave, but if I really liked you I should take care of you and never let you go.”

Steve turned to Danny, he looked blank and the smaller man had a hard time trying to read his face. Danny however looked surprised and his eyes concealed how vulnerable he felt whenever his own emotions were the topic of choice.

“She also made me promise something, “Steve started, Danny tried to object but Steve silenced him quickly. “…she made me promise that I’d fight for you, that I wouldn’t let you be lonely and that I wouldn’t break your heart.”

“Steve…”

“I would have done it even if Grace hadn’t made me promise.” Steve stood up and reached out a hand to Danny as if to help him up. When Danny took his hand Steve pulled him fast up that made Danny stumble into his chest. “I will fight for you Danny whether you want me here or not, I’ll stay!”

“I… I don’t know Steve… I mean” Danny stammered.

“Sorry but your daughter have made a decision and since she is the leader of this benevolent dictatorship, that I just happen to agree on, you have to comply to her will!” Steve smiled. “Besides I know that you still like me, I know you Danno!”

Steve saw the change in Danny as he relaxed in his arms. Danny smiled and wrapped his arms around the taller man’s neck.

“Well since my daughter is the brightest girl in the world, and I have no choice, I guess I have to comply, but just this once.” Danny replied just before he tilted his head up and Steve leaned down to seal it with a kiss.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay... that was the last chapter, hope you enjoyed reading it ^^


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